(I’ll fill the rest of this in later. Warning for writers: story ideas ahead. Steal them if you like, but know they’re there.)
DS9 is a historical preservation site.
Next door is the far larger new Starbase 811.
Surrounding them both are a constellation of perimeter and wormhole defense satellites and transportation buoys.
The Ninth Fleet is based out of the Bajoran Sector, given its proximity to the wormhole, Cardassia, Tzenketh, Miradorn, Ferenginar, and others.
Martok — chancellor of the Klingon Empire. He was nearly assassinated for not conquering the Romulans in their weakened state, but he was very popular after a rare 20 years of rule and prosperity. Still, he did conquer one of the Romulan fracture states along the most highly contested border. The Empire is closer than ever to partial dissolution and multilateral Federation membership. (Really, I’d see him assassinated by now, but I wanted to keep the character in play.)
Garak — begrudged castellan of the Cardassian Third Republic. He’s not a politician, and he has been miserable in the position, but his role in history hoisted the office upon him and united a people who would have fractured without him. A reformer with an Order background, he was popular and effective, especially at curtailing new traditionalist ascendancies. Still, now the terrain has changed and Cardassia is in new territory. He’s being challenged by younger further reformers and it’s unclear whether they dispel a more hopeful future or a collapse of progress made so far. His chief rival is...candidate Anabra Ocettia Cardassia.
Rom — nearly assassinated (by Ferengi and wealthy aliens alike) after pushing too quickly for equitable reforms within the politically neutral and economically amoral Alliance, Rom, Leeta, and four of their six children escaped to exile on Mathenite Prime, awaiting opportunity to return to power.
Quark — chairman and CEO of Quark’s, Inc., he’s based out of his own moon (itself a profitable resort site) with franchise bars on dozens of worlds, including Free Cloud. As traditionalist brother of the former Grand Nagus,
Bashir —
O’Brien —
Dax —
Worf —
Kira —
Sisko —